Well that was a super little video. Bloke in the hat seems to know what heās doing.
So I sit here surrounded by 8 electrics and 2 acoustics. About to practice two acoustic based songs for the OM on my Roadhouse Strat and my missus wants to but me a
Takamine GD30CE
because due to her health sheās barely been out the house for 2 years and knows I lust over a gloss black acoustic and should have got the Yam FGX800 not the T-Bucket !!
Dilemma or what ? Well last night I was trawling through some acoustic blues lessons and if I really really really only could have one, it might just be an acoustic. Guess flexibility and portability would sway it, I think. Iām not sure. Mmmm late night high vol headphone sessions would be out of the question. Oh dear may need another beer for cogitation !
Might have to be the HB30 and old Marshal amp after all.
Hi @Flying_V guitars come in all shapes and sizes. If the acoustic just isnāt comfortable for you, then stick with learning on your sonās electric until you get a new guitar. I wouldnāt rule out an acoustic as you may find one thatās comfortable to you. Iād recommend that you go to your nearest guitar store and try out a bunch of acoustic and electric guitars.
I think youāre looking at it the wrong wayā¦ most people will want an acoustic and an electric. The acoustic is just quick to pick up and play, great for ideas or playing songs in a small setting. Itās great as a solo instrument, for small groups or even as part of a band. An electric IS more suited to performance and has all the bells and whistles to go with it, requires more investment, more understanding of setup (amps, pedals etc).
From your beginner perspective it will be difficult to know which way youāll go . Electric IS easier to learn on to start with but it can then be more difficult to transition to an acoustic. You need to think about what songs/style you might want to focus on NOW and then go for that guitarā¦ that choice will only be for now though and if you stick with it Iāll be highly surprised if you donāt dabble with the other latter on as you want to try other stylesā¦most seem to.
If I could have only one it would be an electro acoustic as thatāll cover most things but thatās not what youāre asking.
Because of the type of music you listed, which is similar to mine, I would say acoustic. In addition, I take my acoustic guitar with me everywhere (on airplanes overseas even), with an electric youād have to take an amp.
Hey flying Vā¦ I am straight away wondering if the answer is in your user name? That being said, for me it would always be an acoustic if I had to choose. If you do not want to make a beeline for a band, I find the acoustic is a more sociable instrument: not too loud to practice with, portable, not overbearing at parties (can you imagine lugging an amp and jacking in at a party uninvited?). No microphone needed. You can also get one with an amplifier on-board (or fit one), so it is still possible to get techie with it if you want to. Whatever you do, enjoy
I chose my username to be a bit more inclusive of my hobbies - I play disc golf (flying discs). I hack away at the guitar. And I am a licensed drone operator. So, Flying_V seemed appropriate and it was available
For me it is acoustic. I have an acoustic dreadnaught, an acoustic āgrand concertā size, a nylon string acoustic, and an electric strat style. Now I canāt play any of them worth a darn yet, but the one that I find most difficult to play is actually the electric.
The acoustics each have very different feel. I started with the dreadnaught, and it was initially quite difficult, but was much more playable after I got a good setup.
The grand concert is a Taylor Academy 12e, which is designed to be very beginner friendly. It is 7/8 the size of the dreadnaught, and the body is not as deep. It has an āarmrestā that supposedly makes it even more comfortable for your strumming arm. I donāt know if the armrest makes as much difference as the shallower body, but this guitar really feels nice, plays easily, and sounds good. If I have one knock, it is that it is a very plain looker. At some point Iāll have to do something to it to give it some personality.
The nylon string obviously has an entirely different feel and sound. Going from the Academy with a slightly smaller nut width to the folk guitar with a wide nut takes a bit of time to adjust to. It is also a much lighter instrument. If I had to pick one, this would not be the one, and I doubt if it would be a good choice for you.
For me it would be the Academy for the short and intermediate timeframe. In more general terms it would be acoustic for sure. There are so many different sizes and shapes of acoustic that you would definitely be able to find one that feels great if you decided to go that way. Actually electro-acoustic so that if I ever find myself wanting to do some busking or gigging in a dive bar I can plug in to get that volume Iāll be needing.
If I had to pick one Iād choose an acoustic. I like the simplicity of it and love the sound of a quality acoustic. You just pick it up and play it, and with just you and the acoustic you can make a song that sounds ācomplete.ā And you can do it pretty much anywhere.
Which acoustic is another question. Iād probably pick an OM size. Pretty much what my main acoustic is right now (I have a Martin OM-35E). But I also like my Alvarez-Yairi dreadnought; it was built in 1990 and has aged beautifully, sounding better and better over the years. And I like a good classical guitar. I have a Cordoba C9 Parlor that sounds great and has amazing projection, especially given the size of the instrument.
I think there is much to be said for learning on both. You can put in more practice hours on the electric, but can benefit from the acoustic experience. Some things, like F barre, are easier on electric so good to start on the electric but will benefit from developing the technique to play it on a well setup acoustic.
It may well be too big. If possible got to a local store and try some smaller body acoustics. Risky I know, you might fall in love and come home with a new acoustic. If you did confirm your suspicion about body size perhaps you can sell the guitar in hand to fund a more suitable acoustic
And now allow me to paraphrase Keith Richards, who said in a conversation I watched that everybody should learn on an acoustic first.
When I started out, I really bonded with my Yamaha C40 classical nylon-string. So much so, that I knew I would keep it, even if I moved on to something else, so I āpersonalisedā it.
I decided to get anyone who crossed my guitar journey path to sign it.
Itās quite a liberating feeling, knowing you not worrying about āthe aestheticsā anymore, as in scratches, dings etc. I call it authentic relicing. (Of course, I have a bit of catching up to do on Willie & Trigger)
Hereās an old photo I found (Itās a bit fuller now), with the great and the good down to my niece in Dublin.
Some notables include:
Tommy Emmanuel
J.D. Simo
Johnny Dowd
Henry Priestman (the Christians)
The Burning Hell
(reminds me, I havenāt played it in a good while now- must take it out and give it another spin)
Thatās definitely a great way to personalize your guitar and imbue it with personality. Perhaps it will soak up some of the essence of those who sign it!
My nylon string is the same model, Yamaha C40. Popular guitar for good reasons.
My choice would be acoustic. All you need is the guitar, a strap and a pick (and the strap and pick are optional!) I love the sound and Iām always blown away listening to a great acoustic player.
Since youāve list country as one of your interests. A few years back Garth Brooks did a residency at the Wynn in Las Vegas, when he walked out on stage, he had a line that was something to the that heād like to introduce the band - it was just him and his acoustic guitar.
(can you imagine lugging an amp and jacking in at a party uninvited?). No microphone needed. You can also get one with an amplifier on-board (or fit one), so it is still possible to get techie with it if you want to. Whatever you do, enjoy 
Iāve always wanted to play disc golf! Sadly our nearest one for miles is very poorly looked after.